Agfa Gevaert Nv

Bernard Schollaert

Paul H Leys

A thermal image recording apparatus has a thermal print head removably supported on a supporting wall and held in place by a releasable latch arrangement which can take the form of at least one movable detent engageable with a rib provided for that purpose on the print head, e.g. on a cooling fin on the rear side of the print head. The detent can be a lever arm having at one end a hook for engaging the rib, the arm being pivotable to dis-engage the hook from the rib and release the print head for removal. The arm is preferably spring-biased to normally engage the rib and both rib and hook can have inclined surfaces allowing for snap-engagement thereof when the print head is mounted on the supporting wall. Preferably, a rib and associated detent is provided at opposite ends of the print head. Alternatively, the latch can be rotated in a plane parallel to the supporting wall to and from a latching position engaging the rib to release position disengaged therefrom. Either kind of latch can be connected to an actuating lever accessible from the exterior of the apparatus.

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Zellik, Belgium

Bernard Schollaert